Black Heart
by VikingBeauty
Summary: My take: Black Hat has a better plan to ensure his domination. What does it mean to be him? Lucy will not escape him. Not for Hicks fans. Major fantasy elements. Black Hat/Lucy
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or any of the other characters having to do with Priest.

_This is a Black Hat/Lucy pairing. I can appreciate constructive criticism. Beware that I have the unfortunate habit of mixing up my tenses and getting ahead of myself. I may need a Beta Reader. This story will deviate from the movie and will almost be like an alternate version. This is not a story for Hicks/Lucy pairing fans, you have been warned._

Rated: M language/violence/ sexual content/ fantasy/ adult content.. did I name it all? lol

Chapter 1: Intro/The Fight

A figure so dark and foreboding that it brought the blackest night to shame scanned the now darkened horizon until he spied a little shack out in the middle of the God forsaken desert he was about to launch an attack on.

Black Hat walked a little closer, heavy foot steps stirred up dirt. He was not afraid of being spotted by the clueless humans awaiting their unfortunate demise in the pathetic rust colored shack because it would not save them even if they did.

His ears picked up the soft foot falls of a woman running to the right side of the shack. The guttural roar of a motorcycle took off. He had no need to pay attention to it or to the rat who drove it, at least not yet. Hicks will be taken care of soon and he knew he was the only man to get the job done right.

He watched Lucy like a cat watching a mouse. She looked worried. No doubt Hicks probably tried to scare her to make her hurry. She looked like she was gaining speed. No moon out tonight, a comforting ghostly light needed for humans to see in the dark. No wonder she ran so fast like a scared rabbit while her heart pounded out blood at 75 bpm. _Delicious._

His eyes caught the haunting white glow of a corset style dress as her shapely legs carried her through the dust cloud she made when she ran. Her full breasts jiggled with each footstep, exposed by a purposefully undone opal button that seemed to wink at him in the distance. _Being bad never felt this good._ His incisors started to tingle.

Hicks must have had a good show. A wicked smirk crept up Black Hat's features and then dropped quickly. His work was far from done. He needed a flawless plan.

Priest will be coming after him soon, and keeping Hicks from teaming up with him would give him the upper hand. But nothing is as strong as a father's love.

Lucy burst through the door and gave her parents a start. Her parents sat at the quaint table that graced their kitchen. Her father's stern eyes saw the way she modified her best Sunday dress. Lucy saw this and turned away blushing and slowly started walking to the bathroom with a muttered apology. Her mother's beautiful dark features pinched in annoyance. Most likely hoping Lucy was not pregnant from seeing Hicks. Like that would happen right now!

Lucy got lost in her thoughts on the way to the bathroom. The fears she had were probably due to the imagination of her developing mind. They surely would not do this to her, but then again she always thought her parents were hiding something from her.

She would not be surprised if they tried to hand her over to the church. She had hoped they loved her more than that, but now she was not so sure. In their eyes she had been acting too rebellious. She was free spirited and a leader often assigning her friends to do her naughty work like stealing candy from church baskets and throwing balled up paper at elderly citizens' heads at the pew. She even tore a page from the Bible, how on Earth she did not get caught she will never know, and wrote messages on them to pass to her friends. She was not against God, she had faith, but it was in the moment and she had felt wild with a dash of free.

Being the most popular girl, automatically by a dash of beauty and charm, no one else had the reddish brown hair color she had, framing green doe eyes and soft supple pink lips. She knew how to work people to her advantage through charm. That came with the territory of being a woman. Not that she was a mean girl or abusive she enjoyed company, well most times. Other times she would resign herself to fantastical books. Something her parents did not like. She kept that secret.

She never tried to make herself look overly smart, she saw that as a disservice. Never let people know how clever you might be. Even if you are bursting at the seems to show it off.

No, she will use all her charm and might not to be sent away even if it meant she had to resort to tears. No she will just be a runaway.

She cringed at the thought of having to make vows to that crooked old bastard. She had seen him secretly drool at her. She was always sufficient at looking into people's souls through their eyes. He was the most evil person she ever met, but she kept that piece of knowledge to herself. And for good reason, she could be kidnapped by the clergy for blasphemy and never be seen again regardless if her parents raised hell.

Lucy stared in the mirror at herself. She looked vibrant with a mixture of fear and elation, a soft glow around her face and her eyes shining like a lighthouse on a stormy sea told a tale of what she got Hicks to do to her.. Her smokey rimmed eyes fell on the hickey Hicks gave her earlier. _So that is what my mom was looking at._ She grabbed the foundation stick sitting on the counter top and rubbed it on the skin next to her jugular. She flinched a little, the nickel sized mark left her skin tender.

She thought about Hicks and how he treated her. He was something stable, a sure way to a decent life. He almost seemed apprehensive to her wants, but she insisted with her charm and won. She wished she did not have to do that. She was adventurous by nature so it automatically made her a nuisance. He would not let her go to see the edge of vamp town. So she would just settle for practicing her seduction skills.

It could be because of all his encounters with vamps though. Maybe one almost latched onto his neck. Hicks wasn't the best of fighters out there. He had guns going for him though, but nothing compared to the legendary Priests who didn't need guns.

Her eyes wandered to the spot on her neck making sure it was concealed. But she could not stop reasoning with herself. _If kissing is so good on the lips it must feel good every where else as well._ _Just because I liked that doesn't make me a vamp lover. _

Satisfaction radiated from her. She abruptly came out of her fantasy. She did not want to think about things like that, it would only bring her trouble. He is her first boyfriend and even though she fantasizes she doesn't want to scare him away by being bold.

She put the cap back on and exited the bathroom. One foot stepped out of the door frame and a great rumble shook the house almost knocking her slim figure off balance. The earthquake did not stop, and the next thing she knew her mom appeared before her while her dad grabbed a shotgun and led her to the basement. Before closing the doors on her she said, "Whatever you do don't scream!"

Lucy almost tripped down the stairs in a panic. She slapped her hand over her mouth and felt the hot sting of tears drip down her cheeks. _Please God no I will do anything just don't let them be harmed._

Her mother terrified voice filled the cabin, "I can't get them off!" The scream was immediately choked off and her fathers screams were almost as load as the shotgun blasts. Heavy footsteps pounded the wooden floors. Dirt almost fell into Lucy's eyes through the cracks. She couldn't see anything.

_Click. _Her father's scream was that of failure, breaking Lucy's heart and she let out a muffled sob. Then, something terrifying kicked the shit out of her father splattering something wet sounding onto the walls. Then silence. Something overturned tables while screeching voices wailed in victory. A throaty growl rung out from above her, "Leave and prepare for our guest." The door was ripped off by the visitors as they exited. Darkness infiltrated the shack.

Silence fell on the shack again like a heavy blanket smothering a small fire. Lucy's breath begged to be released from her sweaty hand. Then heavy steps that made the wood above her shake slowly but purposefully made his way to the rug covering the trap door. A pause. The rug was flung aside in one fluid moment. The trap doors opened slowly as if to add to the drama and make her heart explode. _Now this is a little too much adventure._

A man dressed in black stood where the doors should have been with his head down. With a slight jerk of his head exposing yellow eyes in an instant before descending. A blood curdling scream started from her toes and ripped through her body to exit out of a wide open mouth.

Exhaustion hit her like a ton of bricks and her body started to sag to the floor. She hadn't eaten in two days. She felt solid arms around her. Her eyes fluttered. She saw those creepy yellow eyes looking into her eyes. They were such a strong pure yellow in the black room it almost reminded her of sickness . She weakly tried to pull away. She tried to hold on to consciousness a moment longer to see if this was her dieing day.

Her terrified face reflected perfectly in his eyes. She felt him get a little closer to her flushed face. He angled his head getting closer to her mouth and breathed her scent in. She arched into him for a fraction of a second because of the delusional state she was in. A combination of his strange eyes and just seeing her parents die before her. _Why _am_ I not dead_. _Nothingleft..._

A stunned look flitted across Lucy's face then she sagged in his arms. A glimmer of white teeth in the darkness blinded her vision.

Fear stabbed an icy pick in her stomach forcing her eyes into momentary clarity. A triumphant grin at the prize he just won shown in his devious eyes. _I will save you for later. _One arm loosened from around her waist only to snap back and reveal a black fist with exposed finger tips smeared in blood. That was the last thing she saw. Silence.

**Please review :)** Chapters will be different I just had to pick somewhere to start. Seeing as how this is a Black Hat/Lucy story I will follow some of the guidelines set down by the movie, but I do plan to deviate. I am unsure of the length, I guess it depends on how far my muse flies from me. I am always open to suggestions.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or any of it's characters.

Rated: M language/violence/ sexual content/ fantasy/ adult content.. did I name it all? Lol

_Hey guys I am really sorry if I put up a chapter earlier and took it off! I had a handicapped moment :D I was hoping to catch some Priest clips but there just aren't a lot of them out on the internet. Thank you for being patient my muse was going wild on me for a second. BTW everyone says Lily Collins would look better if her eyebrows weren't filled in, but I disagree she is beautiful!_

Chapter 2: Gun Handling

_If there is a God...you better protect her while I am away. _Hicks rode away after dropping his girlfriend soon-to-be fiancée off at her shack in Outpost 10 with an uneasy feeling. She never looked as beautiful as she did when she was running breathless. _We will make cute babies._

The motorcycle lurched forward when he hit the throttle; dust hit his goggles like it was an angry lover. Hicks arrived at his shack in Augustine with more dust on him than what the sun-blasted wasteland was made out of, maybe even more of it in his brain. Once his sneezing fit subsided and his brain stopped jiggling he patted himself down trying to get the dirt off, and then gave up.

He extended an arm out and pushed the door open to his home. _I feel so hollow without her. _Kicking familiar ass was not always satisfying, even as a lawman, but he sure could pretend it was. The duty bestowed upon his shoulders to protect the badlands weighed heavily on him and he wondered if he could continue on like that. Being a gunslinger is a fast way to die.

Hicks ripped the star off his shirt and sat down at a wobbly table in the middle of the room. You could not even call it a living room, nothing was in it besides the table he sat at, ammo on top of a broad collection of shiny, sharp knives. Two prized long swords rested on a dirty wall opposite of him. The sharp edges glinted, even in the pitch-black night. He almost never took them off. To the right of the sword was a hallway leading into his bedroom.

No matter how hard he tried the filth of the wasteland crept in through the cracks like he never cleaned at all. _This is no place for a girl like Lucy to live. _He would get a new one once married. He could hear rats scratching holes in the walls like frenzied dogs.

She had never seen violence, or anything sinful for that matter, in her life. She was quite sheltered. She always went to church though her parents forced her, and that made someone go to either extremes in the good girl-bad girl department.

He started thinking about the lovely evening he had with Lucy.

**...**

They were sitting down outside of Augustine with their backs against his house staring at the sky. There wasn't much to do. She eyed his guns and wondered how she would handle them or who they may have killed.

"Can I play with your guns?" Lucy asked.

Hicks grinned at her questioning face and said, "I have something you can play with." With that he pressed his lips lightly against hers. She giggled.

"Can you teach me how to handle them?" Hicks looked away and chose his words carefully.

"Only if you teach me how to handle those," Hicks replied while he pointed to her breasts.

Her mouth dropped open. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, she said, "Well first things first." She lifted his hand to float just before her breast. "You have to kiss me."

As Hicks put pressure on his hand before her breast he leaned in to give her a kiss as she leaned back. He was on top of her before he knew it. His mind wandered how her parents would react if her hair were matted in dirt; he got off of her and picked her up in his arms, heading for his bedroom, fingers brushed the outside of her breast where his hand supported her.

He loved the way she kissed him. As of late they were getting experimental. Something they had only read in books. She looked up at him with those pretty green eyes, want etched into them. That was all he needed to bend his head down to kiss her. She rested her hand on his cheek as the kiss deepened. The simple bed squeaked slightly at their movements.

She had asked him to play with her neck. He couldn't understand the knot that formed in his stomach upon hearing her request. With one questioning glance he did what he was told. It took a moment to get into it. It made his mind wander to sex, but she would soon be his and he did not want to rush it. Pretty soon he left a mark on her neck and then the questions flooded into his mind like a tidal wave-

Is she into vampire like fetishes? _I have seen those monsters kill people. My father in my bloody hands… _

He shuddered and quickly dispelled the thought. Will she always be like this? _ Maybe I can talk her out of it. _Will her parents see it? _They will think I am a bad influence. _Will they look at me weird? _Definitely _

Can I let her know I do not want to do that anymore? _The next time I see her I will have to tell her know more about my past. I don't need to be so guarded._

Dusk was approaching fast. His lips did not want to part from hers but he did so and softly whispered in her ear, "We have to go, it is getting late." They need not be out late while vampires roamed.

She sighed softly and whispered, "I am hot." He smiled slightly knowing full well what she meant. She looked like she was in heat the way she panted, hormones surged, making a very pink blush fill her angled cheeks. A small groan escaped his lips.

It felt like an invisible cord was connecting their chest together and when he got up it snapped. It caused a piece of his heart to break. He wanted her to stay and enjoy this precious time they had together.

"Oh, will you show me how to use your guns tomorrow? I am so not letting you get out of that."

"Sure- I'll show you my guns." Lucy's emotions made her face glow as she stared at Hicks in the fading sunlight.

**...**

Hunger pains stabbed him as he came back to reality. He was not as buff as he wanted to be. _There just isn't enough to eat in this fucking place. _

Hicks got up from his chair and went to a makeshift counter top to open up a jug of water he had left there. He stuffed a piece of stale bread into his mouth, then set the jug down with a _thunk. _

He was getting tired. Sleep welcomed him into her sandy arms as his eyelids drooped; sleep was the only way he could dream about things he could not think about in his waking state. Lucy being a perfect wife and mother, in a clean house, and everyone obeying the law not the church was all he wanted out of life. _If you go against the church you go against God...ya what a bunch of shit._

He sighed and lifted his head up. If he was a normal man he wouldn't have believed it, his hand shot out to the gun that clung to his hip, while his mouth dropped open wide enough to catch flies.

**Well **_I decided to torture. Please review. More chapters coming shortly._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or any of it's characters. May contain spoilers

Rated: M for language/violence/ sexual content/ fantasy.. Did I name it all?

_Now is the time I start deviating. __I would like to thank OkamiANBU, whose skills shed light on this story. Please go check out her profile (I am pointing the way to a good story) :D_

Chapter 3: Beginning Nightmares

Priest sharpened his weapons at his table while thinking about the day he had to let his daughter go, and it was the worst day of his life before the war.

15 years he dreamt of her, never forgetting her strangled screams of heartbreak that made her veins pop out of her tiny neck as her mother tried to drag her up the porch. He was only slightly comforted knowing that in time her heart would heal and she would forget about him.

Her mother threatened that they would come for Lucy once she was older if he joined the clergy in their mission to kill vampires. After all, his Priest blood flowed through her. He flinched for he knew that any kids parented by the Priest circle would be a prize for the clergy's agenda; the ultimate trophy to do what they like with.

As Lucy struggled more and more it was getting harder to control her movements. "I want to go with daddy!" Lucy cried in her high pitched voice.

She breathed harder with each forced step until finally her mother picked her up and threw her over her shoulders.

"Wait," Priest softly commanded. The uncertainty of the burden he was about to bestow upon her was more crushing than him forsaking his family, and it felt like an elephant sat on his chest; it cut is breath short.

Lucy squealed in response and her mother put her down; she barely touched the wood before barreling down the steps. Her father kneeled down in front of her and caressed her reddened, chubby cheeks.

A bit of regret flashed in Priest's eyes as he stared into his precious daughters eyes before pulling out a shiny object.

"Guard this as best as you can and when you look at it think about my love; no one can ever take it away. Look at it and think that no one else is worthy of such beauty, this gift is priceless, it matches the fire inside of you," Priest whispered in her small ear. He hoped she would remember those words, as he picked her up and hugged her, burying his nose in her jasmine- scented hair.

It was a tear drop ruby that sparkled and shimmered like stars in the night sky on a silver chain, but that was the only thing she would remember from her father. She would never see his tears slip from the crevice of his tortured eyes, a piece of him died, and would remain dead forever.

The alien rock that felt heavy on her tiny neck mesmerized her and she looked up to find her father gone like he had been a figment of her imagination.

She began to hate the heaviness and constant heat the rock imposed on her chest, it would always add to her loneliness, not take away.

Priest roused himself from brooding; his eyes drooped and he decided to turn in for the night. His nightmares started like they always did; a cruelty that no man should know- vivid, long, and painful.

_Priest walked down the hallways_ in the convent. It was the last night they would be here before setting out for the war and his friends were sound asleep. He decided to go to a small library that held valuable information for a wide variety of subjects, especially religious works.

He looked up the hallway and saw a door with soft, glowing light; smoke came out of the crack. Something that sounded like moans floated to his ears and so he decided to investigate. A feeling of dread blanketed him as he reached the door and he wondered if he really wanted to know what was behind it because now he heard crying.

Priest cracked the door open silently and peered in. The room was filled with lavish, expensive brightly colored furniture that you would not be able to find anywhere else and it spoke of the clergy's wealth and vast resources.

Monsignor Orelas, the one who gave Priest the vows to recite, had a very young girl bent over on a bed completely naked. She was crying, but she was not the only one crying. A young boy was in the corner with two other clergy men; one was in front while the other in back, and chains around them indicated they were held there. Blood was covering the walls and it occurred to him that not only were they held and raped, but beaten and tortured.

Orelas moans increased in volume. The young girl opened her wet, dead eyes and looked directly into Priest's eyes. Her mouth opened weakly to form 'help me' and a hint of clarity made her eyebrows rise up to question him. Suddenly confusion, anger, fear, and shame made her break eye contact. He quickly passed the gruesome scene and threw up as he turned down another hallway then he threw up again when he reached the library.

He fell on his knees and cursed their names, wishing that he never got caught up in such a filthy church, the _only_ church around; he cried and promised God as he walked into the library that he would avenge those children no matter what the cost.

They made him take vows, now he was going to make them eat those vows. This offered him no comfort as he whipped the puke off of his mouth and spit on the floor. He could not free them for if they were captured no one would come out a winner except for the vile clergy.

He spotted the book he wanted after some light browsing, Spirits and Gemstones, written in gold letters.

**Please review**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or its characters. If I did well…it obvious things would have been different

Rated: MA- This has adult themes guys. Read at own risk and there may not be much right now…but oh boy is it coming.

_I feel like I am rewriting the movie. I am sorry I know I am evil. I may be a tad bit predictable but you will be thanking me when you find out how juicy it is/will be ;D _

Chapter 4: Priestly Nightmares and Fights

It was the last sparring match before the war. He slowly made friends with everybody but Heath and Maggie had become his best friends. Heath and Maggie were always flirting, and that made him chuckle. Heath had always been a caring man and he also had a calm energy about him that encouraged friendship with whit that kept conversation going.

Heath had blue almond shape eyes and tanned skin made shiny by perspiration. He had dark hair and at least a two day old shadow covering his square jaw line. His eyebrows were also dark and they were thick but not overpowering his eyes. His mouth had a pouty bottom lip and whenever he smiled the flash of white teeth could identify him in a crowd. His was tall, about 6'1 and he had a medium build. He was taken into the clergy when he was a teenager.

Heath's blue eyes stared triumphant as he pinned Maggie down in a submission move. Her grunts and growls were proof of how much that pissed her off. She even thought about biting his ear off for revenge because she was not easy to put down.

He got off of her, winked, and said "Well that was easy" with a dimpled grin. Maggie rolled her eyes but didn't respond. She smiled when Heath turned his back. Priest rolled his eyes and gave them a small smile and chuckled.

Now his dream took a dark turn once again. He dreamed about Heath, terrified expression haunted him. He remembered how as they neared the end of the Hive, scrambling to meet the savior daylight, the epitome of freedom from vampires, Heath, the last man out, was snatched away in an instant, tripped by the bloodsuckers.

"Wait!" Priest bellowed out to his comrades. He grabbed hold of Heath's slippery, sweaty hands. The moment he gripped his hand he realized Heath was doomed, and the same realization dawned on Heath's bewildered expression.

His legs were being ripped to pieces as Priest tried to hold on. It was like slow motion on an action shot that will never speed up no matter how hard you screamed. Priest could still feel Heath's hand in his becoming harder to hold onto.

"Please don't let go brother," Heath gritted his teeth in exertion. Priest lost the battle, howling, as he saw his best friend getting dragged away. The vampires fast disappeared into the catacombs with their tasty morsel.

_You let go of him_-this thought lodged itself in his mind as he shook violently awake, sweat oozing out of him.

Priest buried his tattooed face in his calloused hands. Heath's screams still echoed inside his head, but faded back into his nightmares. A pounding headache formed, reaching out its cruel hands to grip his mind.

It was still dark out and he knew something was off. Holding one hand to his throbbing head he decided it was time to visit the clergy.

…

A raspy breath, almost a half growl came out of the darkness next to the swords near Hicks' bedroom. Hicks whipped around to face the mysterious voice.

Black Hat was waiting patiently for this. He had been frowning the whole time he spied on Lucy and Hicks' kissing session; if you could even call that a kissing session. It was pathetic the boy didn't have any imagination at all. Black Hat may have never been intimate with a woman but his imagination went there and that was all he needed, and he thought of Lucy, he was thinking of her a lot ever since he thought about kidnapping her. He watched her sleeping night after night at Outpost 10.

"Get your gun," came a dark voice.

Hicks didn't realize what this meant, instead he concentrated on the voice to see if he knew him but it was unfamiliar.

A familiar sneaked up behind Hicks and hit him in the back of the head with a metal object. As Hicks stumbled the familiar grabbed his guns from his holsters and flung them across the room to Black Hat.

_What the fuck! _Hicks got up stunned and rubbed the back of his bloodied head; he was pissed.

In an instant, before his left hand completed the pat on his head,his right hand swiftly moved to his waist grabbing a knife and turned halfway to plunge it into the familiar's heart. The familiar staggered back, but bones caged his heart as a protective measure.

Black Hat pulled out the chair so it faced the scene unfolding by the door, then he put his heavy black boots on the table, making it wobble.

Black Hat laughed with delight. The familiar gave Hicks an 'Are you kidding me' look and took the knife out of his chest amidst crunching and gushing sounds, while thick looking blood dripped to the floor; the familiar left him alone after that. That was way worse; it was a sign he may be on the losing side.

"Thanks to you I will have to show Lucy my guns, but unlike you, I will show her how to use them." The wickedest smile was the only thing showing apart from his glistening fangs now fully exposed.

Power exuded from every pore of his body, his black form like a shadow of death being cast down on this broken world. Hicks gulped remembering a bible verse.

"You go near her and I will break your fucking fingers," Hicks threatened aggressively.

"You put your fingers near me and I will eat them," Black Hat said lightly like they were old friends.

"Besides, I will need my fingers to pleasure Lucy. I have her in my bed. Let me tell you," He paused- "She just might look the best when she is sleeping, it is a close competition to her waking state, and yet I cannot decide for that matter- Should I take her while she is asleep or awake?"

Hicks had heard more than enough. In one cry of rage he flung his body on Black Hat, knocking him to the floor. He pounded Black Hat's face until his knuckles hurt but that only took a few punches to his solid face. It was only enough to knock off his hat to reveal a red tattooed cross.

A horrible sinking feeling like rot was in his stomach and he knew that the only reason why he straddled this man was because he let him.

"Priest..." Hicks gasped for some air.

"I told you that if you put your fingers near me I would eat them." With one swift motion Black Hat grabbed Hicks' hand and plunged his fingers in his mouth with a sickening crunch that echoed off the wall, blood squirting up Black Hat's nose. A crazy shade of red formed in Black Hat's eyes mixing with the yellow; blood lust was taking hold.

A cry of agony shot out of Hicks mouth. In this commotion he grabbed his gun from Black Hat's belt, cocked it and shot.

Black Hat's hand reached up and knocked the gun out of Hick's hand just in time to deflect the shot so that the bullet buried itself in Black Hat's chest instead of his head.

Hicks got off of him still wondering why the familiar wasn't attacking him and glanced to see he was gone before throwing himself onto the gun. He was delirious after getting a pinky bitten off and did not care about the gun he just left with his enemy. Hicks tried to roll away but Black Hat was swift and threw his body across the room.

Black Hat's dark chuckle reached Hicks' ears, as he stood up, and leaned forward to grab the metal; the other gun still wiggling in his belt.

"How can you be alive?" Disbelief rang out in Hicks voice.

Black Hat popped the one black button open on his shirt to reveal the bullet hole in his chest. At first nothing happened while Black Hat changed his composure, straightening his back, then the bullet hole started making juicy noises. Suddenly it was moving out of his body with a faint _pop_ as it exited his chest. Hicks began to see what he had to smile about.

_Those were silver bullets _too._ God what has this world come to? This can't be happening._

Hicks reloaded the gun and pointed it at Black Hat. Black Hat let go of his shirt and put his arms down by his sides. Not waiting for his next move, Hicks cocked the gun and bursts of fire came out of the barrel in rapid successions.

Black Hat took the piece of metal in his hands and deflected every bullet coming his way with such speed and accuracy that he reached Hicks in a matter of seconds, knocking the gun to the ground.

Hicks face was sliced from temple to the corner of his mouth, blood seeping down his neck. Hicks' mouth just got a lot wider. Black Hat took a step closer, plunging the piece of metal into Hicks' side then stepped back. Hicks let out a moan that died in his mouth and stumbled back towards the wall. Hicks didn't think he could defeat Black Hat; his eyes watered up at the intense turn of events. _Lucy I love you._

Black Hat took the stolen gun out of his belt, cocked it and aimed. He unloaded one bullet into Hicks' shoulder and another bullet into the adjacent shoulder. The gun hissed in wild fury as if it responded to shooting its master.

A grunt and another moan escaped Hicks lips as he tried to get close to the wall; shock was making his body go numb.

This time Black Hat aimed for his head.

"If you are going to do it then fucking do it!" Hicks roared and tried to spit at the _creature_ before him.

Black Hat pulled the trigger. Hicks flinched, but nothing happened. Black Hat threw the gun and it made a small dent in the wall.

He crouched and then leaned down to Hicks face. With a brutal expression, he pushed a finger into the bullet wound, first slow then fast; severing some more tendons. Hicks could do nothing, his tendons were damaged hindering him from lifting his arms. His cries of frustration filled the cabin, almost overpowering the faint chuckles coming from Black Hat.

Black Hat's familiar dropped something heavy in the doorway. Hicks felt heavily nauseated and sweat dripped into his eyes, blurring and stinging his vision. It looked like something red was set on the floor.

"Let me know if hell is hotter," Black Hat picked his hat up off the floor. Heavy steps reached what sounded like a canister being picked up, and the smell of gasoline permeated the air.

A waterfall of gasoline fell over every inch of his home. Black Hat made sure to put some on Hicks pants and extra on Hicks bed. The familiar doused everything as well with his canister. Both of them walked out of the door holding the two long swords they had plucked off the wall.

The familiar gave Black Hat a lantern. Black Hat paused outside of the doorway to stare at Hicks. It really wasn't a fair fight. Then again life wasn't fair. He had bigger concerns with Lucy and that was where the real challenge lay. That was his last thought before he threw the lantern inside where the battered and bloodied man was. Flames caressed the inside, licking the gasoline with pleasure radiating from its fiery depth.

**Please review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or its characters.

_Whewww ::dances around room:: Go check out Black Hat on youtube! It is you guys for the patience. I am chugging along.  
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Chapter 5: The Meeting

Lucy's eyes were moving wildly under her eyelids. Her hands were shaking as dread seeped its way into her brain and dreams.

_Lucy was in her tattered dirt-stained white dress looking at the train a few feet away from her. She knew she should run, but it was like a rope was tied around her waist drawing her closer to the little window in front of her that had soft light emanating from it. She floated slightly up and pressed her face against the glass._

_Whispers swirled around her whispering softly in a sexless voice: Live, Love, Burn, Die_

_She saw her kidnapper and a petite girl on the bed; she was also wearing a white dress with her boots off. They were moving around, but not so much that she could see the girl's face. His face was moving down towards the female's chest. A strange feeling came over her as if he was doing it to her. The man stayed draped over her, and she made out that his finger lightly tore the dress against her chest. He quickly stopped and turned his face towards the window. His mouth held a red tint and delight lit up his golden eyes. Lucy tried to duck her head but was a second too slow. Forebodingly, she lifted herself back up to peer in, a shadowy face growled and the next thing she knew his fist punched through the glass and grabbed her harshly by the neck, pulling her in kicking and screaming._

Lucy woke up confused and groggy. She looked around her and saw that she was lying on a queen sized bed with holes in it. There was one window and a small, peeling white vanity next to her. Her limbs creaked as she swung her legs off of the end, near the door, preparing to see if it was locked.

The door slowly creaked open and the dream was forgotten. Her disbelieving eyes opened wide and she quickly hid behind the door before it was fully opened. A familiar with blue tinted skin and blue eyes proceeded cautiously in the room.

He had a bulky form that was covered up by a dark shirt and pants. He didn't see her and he muttered a confused, "Where is she?"

Then heavy confident steps started pushing him further forward. The familiar's face turned and spied her behind the door, his hand shooting out to grab her. She squeaked, ducked, and jumped away from him back on the bed. By God if they were going to try and grab her and kill her, she was going to use the bounce the bed gave her to lunge over her kidnapper's body and out the door.

The familiar stood motionless by the door, a creepy half smile drawn on his face. Her fears gripped her as she looked at the dark figure before her that exposed angry yellow eyes. She panted asking herself_ Why in the hell does he have yellow eyes?_

Her guard was up because, not only was she expecting her kidnapper to be from Tales of The Crypt, but maybe maimed, ugly, or just plain stupid. She hated to admit, as scary as he appeared now, he was handsome and his rugged face studied her up and down. Eyeing him suspiciously, she saw that he looked rather calculative and cunning, neither in her favor. Her insides churned almost causing her to speak, but instead she opened her mouth and then closed it. She wanted to attack because she wasn't restrained but there was something so deadly about him that she thought twice.

_Well damn I'm not going to let that stop me. _She told herself she was going to die anyways whether he was good looking or not, or whether she played nice or not.

He looked on guard as he stepped closer to her, still confident, and she almost shrunk back but swallowed instead. Hating feeling like a coward, she told herself that she was brave.

"Do-"

She thought he was about to say something like 'Don't even think about it' or 'Don't move or else' maybe even a 'Don't be afraid'. But so much for finding out because she cut him off when her hand shot out, fists curled trying to aim, and connected with his strong square jaw. It was _supposed_ to turn his head away, but that was a miserable fail on her part.

A small crunch sounded from her knuckle. She jumped sideways off the bed with a howl, shaking her hand frantically. Now she was really panicked. She tried to shrink back from him, maybe even run, but the rage inspired by her in the kidnapper was hidden by a smile as he focused on her, his features taking on a dark twist.

Without a word he closed the gap between them and put his hands on her small biceps with bruising force. He picked her small frame up high in the air and she looked down surprised with a touch of dread mixed on her pretty face.

He bodily slammed her so hard onto the bed that her head bounced painfully and the air whooshed out of her lungs, causing sharp pains to daze her.

"My uncle's a priest, he'll come after me," she stated weakly.

"Really? What makes you so sure?"

"He'll come after me! He'll come after you," she forced out.

Black Hat's nose crinkled and his fangs were fully exposed in a terrifying display. His face inched closer to hers and a rough voice came out deep within his chest, "Now that's something I'm absolutely counting on."

The familiar was pleased by her fight and her suffering, but Black Hat was not.

She wondered how this man could ever look human to her now. The grimace he gave her was bone chilling and fraught with purpose, like a beast about to move in for the kill.

He let her go and exited the room. His thoughts took on a different direction as he walked away, not having counted on their first meeting to be so action packed. Grinning, he realized she just broke the 'no physical contact barrier' for him and it almost made him chuckle. He wondered what to do with her now that she did the unexpected; it was obvious that he might be wrong about her.

He thought she would just be a tool to attract the Priests, but now he was seriously thinking about keeping her instead of killing her. He also thought about killing her because she really did not serve any purpose for him. Something told him to do it, that she may not come into his favor for some unforeseen reason. It was not necessary to kidnap her _and_ keep her, but he had a very small hope she could and would be different. This must be something talking to him from the cracks of his black heart and it did not put him in a good mood. There was one thing he knew though: she was a silly little girl who could easily be eliminated if she got out of hand, not only that, but she was easily killable, period, for that matter. His teeth clenched as he stared out into the horizon; he tried to focus on the task ahead and failed.

Even the Queen, which he had various telepathic ways to reach her, wanted him to kill her when he was done with her. The Queen didn't care what he did to her and she was on his side; so if he changed his mind she would welcome it. He thought about Lucy being his long term companion, and now he was in a position to test the waters. After his attack on Hicks the deal was sealed - he would try to win Lucy and the Priests, or die trying. He had no other purpose in life after his rebirth but to do what the Queen wished, of course.

He was reluctant to kill Hicks, but he saved someone else for her that could possibly change the course of things and how she thought about him. Remembering the guns and swords he took from that poor soul he did away with, he realized he needed to get rid of them before Lucy saw them. He would dump them off the train when they reached a stopping point. After all, he had no real use for them now that he decided against torturing her. He was not big on torture at all, but there was a much more feral, baser feeling inspired by her. If Lucy saw them then his plans for her would go out the window, literally. He could change her against her will, but that was unappealing.

He snorted in frustration while looking out the window; they were getting close to their destination. The train roared like a lion about to captivate its prey. The atmosphere changed as the vampires started howling and screeching. Shivers ran up his spine at the pain he was about to cause this poor unsuspecting town named Jasper. He wanted and needed to take his fury out on something. The last rays before dusk caressed his skin and once again the thrill of power laced itself in his muscles and solidified; the grin on his face was one of pure rapture and expectation.

…

Lucy could not get his snarling face out of her head. She lay back on the bed dreading what he was going to do to her when he came back; or at least she assumed he was going to come back and check on her. Rolling her eyes, she slapped her forehead and moaned when she realized she broke the no physical contact barrier. She sat up and paced around the room, pulling out the chair on the vanity and looking into the mirror. Tears leaked through her fingers when she buried her face in her hands.

"Why are you crying little one?" a strange voice inquired behind her. Lucy's head snapped up to look at her intruder. It chuckled and started teasing her. "You know, I think he likes you. I think his mind is babbling about you. Ah," the voice cackled then sighed, "the power of women, I just can't get enough, but this would be so much more interesting if you knew how to use it. Don't get me wrong you did a fine display of defending yourself, but you will need a bit more than that if you want to survive." The voice dripped sarcasm.

"Show yourself!"

"What will do you for me?"

"What! What do you mean do for you? I am not doing anything for something bodiless!" Lucy's voice shook and she was starting to get nervous; her eyes darted around the room.

"Calm down little one."

A small breeze stirred the stagnant air in front of her. It was like a heavy, dark cloud clung to the ceiling. Chills racked Lucy's body and she felt like she needed to hug something so she moved her arms around her chest. She knew she looked fragile like that, but she never felt anything systematically magnetized to suck the courage out of her; before she knew it she dived next to the bed and hunched down for some sort of security.

The whole train shook violently back and forth as vampires jumped out of their dwelling, she could hear their strange voices clicking, and she could almost picture the drool coming down their animalistic mouths. They sounded really hungry and so they wasted no time, silence came on golden tipped wings.

"You seem really thirsty," the voice had an ominous tone. She wondered if what was talking to her was benevolent or not, she got the feeling it was the latter.

"Shut up, you are freaking me out and maybe I am," Lucy quietly stated the last part to herself.

"Lock the doors little one," the voice faded.

She felt like telling it 'you are rude' for not introducing itself. The reaction was late as Lucy got up to find that there was a chain lock, but she might as well not lock up at all because that would never hold up against the man in the black hat or anyone else for that matter. She locked it anyways.

…

The outpost was in turmoil as Black Hat orchestrated the flames of their demise. It was all music to his ears: windows crashing, men tripping, buildings toppling over, and the all around excited havoc. To the left of him he saw familiars plundering the town's bosom and to his right vampires sating their thirst on men, women and children. Smoke filled the air with a heaviness that would snuff out anyone else that might be hiding. Black Hat knew his army would slow down and take their time. He grinned to himself. _They do torture rather well._

He saw a girl about Lucy's age peeping out at him from a storefront window. He had been more curious about the opposite sex lately, and so he decided to go to her.

"Stay back!" the woman shouted as he kicked the door open. She wielded a knife, and a grin formed on his lips as he glanced at it.

His expression grew hard as diamonds and he jumped over the table that divided them. The woman screamed as she tried to exit into the hallway next to her. Black Hat grabbed her foot, tripping her, and climbed on top of her. She managed to cut his cheek before he broke her hand by bashing it into the wood, making her drop the knife. He was breaking her spirit because her sobs grew louder; however, she would not plea for her life.

Someone this strong deserved to be executed quickly and precisely. He had become numb to killing a long time ago.

"Please let me go," she panted and tried to focus on him. Black Hat paused when he heard her voice. It was sweet but terrified, and something in him told him not to kill her.

"I require your dress," he growled.

She did not even hesitate to undress and give it to him.

"And the bracelet," he added.

She looked stricken at the thought of giving it up, but took it off nonetheless if it saved her life. He studied her body briefly before the bracelet demanded his attention.

The dress was a lighter blue color with soft fabric from heavy use and it accompanied a dark blue, jeweled, silver chain bracelet. The dress had, instead of a button like Lucy's, two strings that were tied together. He thought that it might come in handy; holding the dress up he noticed there was a tear in the side. Touching his cheek with the cut he cursed, even the blood that came out of the cut was gone, feeling more and more like a monster. She disappeared behind the bar as he walked away sparring her life.

He stepped out of the store and looked around to make sure his horde was still intact. One of his vampire minions looked in his direction and bounded to the store in a couple of leaps, crashing through the window. Briefly closing his eyes, Black Hat heard the naked girl scream in agony.

His attention was drawn somewhere else as he forgot about the young woman. He glanced back at his train, with his mind now on Lucy, and at first walked slowly but then steadily picked up speed as he got closer; it felt like his black heart was pulling him.

_**Please review:**__ Yes yes she gets a dress just like all the stories (they were written by women duh) I mean it could have been lingerie but you know…I wasn't going there…yet :D So instead I made it torn. Lol. Complete with a bracelet! So that should make up for it. Yes Lucy is getting some character development and we all know how Black Hat's character is so that shouldn't be a shock. I am quite enjoying this deviating from the movie_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Yayaya you know

Rating: MA (Mature Adult): I am being very serious. Make good choices ;)

_I decided to make some special sauce. If you like fire…then this is for you. :p_

Chapter 6: Bad Men in Badlands

After Lucy locked the door she walked back to the bed and sat down. Her eyes started roaming around the room because once you get captured there is not much to do other than sleep or cry.

"Oh you know you would rather cry than go to sleep." The voice started talking again.

"Who's there? Look I am not joking around. Please show yourself. I am asking nicely. Please." Lucy begged.

A reddish blue hue of wispy smoke, that same cloud as before, filled the ceiling of the little room. A transparent figure appeared. It was not all connected lines but it had a reddish tint to it. She had a feeling it could become solid or at least solider. She tried focusing on it but it quivered like it was made of fluid.

"What are you?"

"Ah," It laughed. "That's for me to know and you to find out." It sounded annoyed. "Or I'll just let him tell you." Lucy got the feeling this _thing_ was getting bored with her.

The eyes of the mass became clearer it was like black orbs reaching into her soul.

"I knew your father."

"What?" Lucy gasped.

"Oh I knew him very well." The voice turned darker. "I have been with him for a very long time, observing, giving him little shoves. You are what he was saving me for and it was very easy to convince him to let me talk to you. I know all things little one."

Lucy leaned heavily on the table with her injured hand, winced, and then pulled it back.

"What is the matter little one? You were foolish to punch him. He didn't want to hurt you and if you are nice enough maybe he will fix it for you. I see a well of power in him and you do too."

"Yeah, well he deserved it for kidnapping me. Why do you care?"

"I can see inside you," the voice turned into a whisper. "Why don't you give him a chance and decide for yourself."

The apparition started fading and Lucy was getting desperate for answers.

"Wait! Oh, if you know all things tell me where Hicks is! Please!"

The voice chuckled at her begging. "He is not coming for you. You must look towards the future," the voice commanded her.

Lucy looked at the disappearing apparition with frustration. "You know if you are going to mess with my head you should stay a little longer." The cloud lingered in her mind's eye but it had physically disappeared. It seemed to be willing enough to give her some sort of answers and a sort of blind trust developed towards it. She still could not ignore the fact that it made her sweat.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the door knob turning. A part of her hoped it was the man with the black hat, but she somehow doubted that he wanted to see her after punching him. Her knuckle still didn't feel right and she tried flexing her hand. Her mind turned black as she thought about his hard face, all rough lines that she just wanted to knock out. Telling herself he truly did deserve it she pushed his dark face out of her mind. She came back to reality because now the chain was being stretched and was about to snap.

Her heart fell as the pop of the chain sounded off and the door swung wide open. A familiar stood there with a clear bottle of liquid. It seemed that he was missing out on all the action with his vampire buddies, and now she suddenly felt so alone and afraid.

She tried to back off and look around him to see if she could make it out the door. She eased back towards her bed thinking, once again, that maybe she could launch herself past this stranger; it would be easier than earlier.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Lucy swallowed hard.

"I thought you might be a little thirsty so I brought you something," the familiar closed the door making an icy feeling grip her stomach.

"Th-tha-" she definitely didn't want to say 'thank you'

"It is just some water we had, I was sent to give it to you." He got a little closer to her. "Actually not quite, you see I lied, it is a _type_ of water," he paused. "Oh what the hell- some of us call it moonshine and it goes down smooth. Here let me show you."

The familiar threw his fist into her jaw snapping her head back. It almost knocked her out, but instead it induced black spots in her vision. He was running out of time so he grabbed her by the hair and took her into another room and locked the door; it was one of the more secure rooms. He sat down on her stomach and popped the top off.

"You see, no, I am not going to hurt you," he drooled on her neck while he chuckled deep in his chest "I don't want the man knowing it was me. Actually I hardly want you to remember anything."

Lucy felt paralyzed and her chest pounded like her heart wanted to leap out of it. Her arms flailed around and she tried to push him off.

"L-l-let me go and I won't say anything," Lucy stuttered like her tongue was tied.

"No I am going to make you my little _bitch_," he gritted his teeth at the last word while he steadied her face. "No no, this is all wrong," he watched her face thrash from side to side. He grabbed her hard by the nose, wrapping his arm around her head, "Now, this is better _sweetheart_."

His breath was wretched and it almost made her throw up; he smiled down at her with a black mouth and rotted teeth that were ready to fall out on her. He tilted the bottle and aimed at her open mouth that she was trying to breathe out of while the bald stranger plugged her nose. Clear, liquid drops hit her chin and accosted her lips; she let out a shriek. A steady stream plunged into her mouth, the hot lava fluid burned its way down and back up several times; she was choking. He lifted the bottle up and uncovered her nose to let her breathe.

She sputtered and coughed trying to bring it back up, but she could feel it seep into her lungs and it made breathing feel like somebody was stabbing her. Alcohol assaulted her senses so she turned her head and threw up on the wood. The familiar scooted a little lower on her stomach, cutting off her coughing, and lifted her dress up with his hand. Unbuttoning his pants, he made kissing noises at her making her cry out.

He decided she hadn't had enough. He let go of his pants and dumped some more liquid onto her chest. Her nipples stood out as the wet fabric clung around them.

Lucy used her good hand to try to claw his eye out.

"Stay still, little bitch!" The familiar held her arms down with his shins causing her to scream until her face turned red. He was almost halfway done with the bottle.

The familiar looked like he was in heaven; the smile on his face was the ugliest smile she had ever seen. His erection pressed against her and it made her face turn green.

He lifted the pressure off of her arms and turned the bottle to point at her mouth again. She wondered if she was going to die at this man's hands; time was going by so slow and her chest was extremely tight.

The second time around she hoped it would be a tad bit easier. Bracing herself, she wished that she was never born. She wondered if it would be better to swallow instead. She struggled harder, freeing her arms from his legs and boxed his ears, but he effortlessly pinned her arms down. The familiar shook his head. "Now that hurt."

The liquid quickly flooded her mouth again and she took a big gulp; she immediately regretted it. The liquid swam over his fingers and made a run for her eyes. He let go of her nose and squeezed her throat. He set the bottle down away from her head as Lucy gagged.

The familiar stared at her body greedily. He ran his hand up down her hips and legs, and then he pulled the dress farther up to expose her toned stomach. Lucy was dizzy and she turned her head to throw up again. The familiar ran his tongue on bare skin making a trail from her chest to her neck and moaned loudly.

…

Black Hat looked into her prison room and found nothing but a broken chain lock. He searched one or two other rooms before he heard gagging coming from a locked door. Someone took Lucy and someone was having a good time.

The vicious surge of hatred made his mouth set with deadly purpose. He kicked the door with almost enough force to break it. Snarling with one last swift kick the door splintered into pieces.

Inside it smelled like alcohol, fear, sweat, and sickness. The sight before him of his familiar on his girl, after he specifically commanded she was not to be messed with, made him see red.

"Aughh, Heath, please, I wasn't going to do anything." The familiar pleaded for his life while he crawled on his hands and knees away from them. Lucy's body twisted to the side and she dry-heaved, unaware that her dress was still pulled up.

Black Hat walked up to her, grabbed the clear bottle of liquid and looked at his familiar with dangerous red-rimmed eyes. "Come here," he grinned. "It is just all fun in games, right? You weren't going to do her any harm." Black Hat held out his hand and beckoned the familiar to him.

"Yes, master, nothing at all. I'm going to go get something to eat," the familiar looked at his master, who blocked the door, nervously not wanting to get in arm's length of the beast before him.

Lucy turned towards them dazed and confused; she looked, with fuzzy eyes, at the familiar almost within reach of Black Hat. She could not get up.

Black Hat latched onto the familiar's collar and threw him out of the room without a sound. He looked back at her, while the familiar crashed into the hallway, with grim reaper eyes. She looked away from it all as he dragged the screaming familiar away.

…

Black Hat's fingers wrapped around the familiar's throat; the force he exerted popped the familiar's veins turning his skin to a reddish color. Blood oozed from the familiar's nose before Black Hat let go of his throat. The familiar's head lolled, "Heath," he cried.

Black Hat stared him down with cold eyes and the bottle in his hand. "Open your mouth," he commanded. The familiar's jaw shook as he parted his lips slightly. "Open it!" The familiar gave in knowing that all hope for him was gone. Black Hat raised the bottle high and came down on his mouth with crushing force. The familiar's screams were unhindered as parts of his teeth broke off and littered the floor; blood oozed from his torn and swollen lips.

His aggressor's mouth twisted like a gnarled tree root, and with glee in his eyes he came down again on the familiar's mouth breaking the rest of his teeth. The familiar spitted out blood, cutting his tongue on the jagged ends of what was left over.

Now that he got passed the teeth, Black Hat lifted up the bottle one last time; he shoved it down the familiar's throat until it tore from the massive intrusion. His lifeless body fell to the floor. Black Hat had expended all his malice, frustration and hatred on him.

He turned to see Lucy curled up against the door frame looking a tinge horrified, but more sickened than anything else. Trying to stand up, her body lost its equilibrium and she began to fall to the floor. He caught her, looked at her dilated pupils, and lifted her up to take her back to her room. Her dress was still wet and he tried not to look down at was clearly exposed to him now.

Black Hat set her down on the vanity chair that had the blue dress draped over it, and in front of her was a jug of water. He looked at how weak she was and frowned. He got her to take a sip. Her eyes fluttered open as the sip of water cleared up her head a little. She was agitated and she looked at him like he was the one that did it to her.

He wanted to apologize to her badly, but instead he bent over and kissed her forehead impulsively. It was getting a bit awkward so he looked at her limbs to see if any damage was done. Feeling a draft, Lucy shrugged her shoulders and felt her wet chest with trembling fingers. In doing so she drew his attention once again to her chest and a smirk formed on his face before he looked away.

His voice was a little rough starting out from lack of use, "Drink some water."

"Why?"

The corner of his mouth arched up producing dimples, "Something magical will happen."

She thought better of it and tried to get some more water down. He watched her inexperience and grinned. She tried to stand up, wobbled, and almost broke the vanity if he hadn't caught her. The sting of alcohol rushed up his nose as if it was trying to intoxicate him. He looked down at her; his breath came out unsteady and he closed his eyes. He willed himself to keep them closed.

He had not thought their next encounter would be this hard because the connection between them seemed to be growing stronger; he could practically taste her. It was obvious how much that bastard made her drink. He really didn't want to take advantage of her like this, especially since she almost got raped. A dark shadow simmered in his eyes like a writhing snake.

His hand drifted down her neck, fingering the chain of her necklace and yet still moving farther down to the beginning of her breasts. Lucy's good hand grabbed a hold of his bicep letting him continue his path. The ruby was resting in his hand and, as if he was in a trance, he snapped out of it and withdrew his arms.

She clung onto him like he hadn't even tried to let her go. The golden orbs of his eyes reminded her of what a home should be like: a safe place, a warm hearth, and happiness. She saw no trace of evil, only another obscure emotion, but her eyes wandered to his mouth knowing what lay behind his grin. Her eyes traced his tan skin around his jaw line then to the skin surrounded by his collar.

He noticed her scrutiny, and the smirk on his face was frozen in time. He switched the power of his strong gaze on her and she tried to look away. He swung her away from the vanity and backed her up against the wall with one hand on her flushed cheek. He put the other hand against the wall next to her, and brought his head down to hers in a motion to kiss her. Her eyebrow furrowed in deep concentration.

"I noticed you hurt yourself punching my face." He smirked while he moved his hand from her cheek to her arm. The touch was steady and firm. Stretching her arm out, he moved his rugged hand closer to her hurt knuckle. She barely flinched when his fingers skillfully ran over her abused knuckle for the alcohol numbed her pain.

A faint pop had her shivering with the hint of pleasure and pain making her head roll back to expose her neck.

_If you bite her now you can have her._ His mouth watered as he led her to the bed.

Lucy stumbled a little and asked, "So, is that the magical happening you mentioned?

"No, that comes later," his tone was serious but his eyes wandered to her tattered dress. He could smell her alcohol induced arousal when they locked eyes and it was driving him crazy. His hand once again grabbed hold of the gem that lay between her breasts. Her sensitivity to his touch made her lips draw closer to his and her breath hitched looking into his hypnotic eyes. Nostrils flared as he looked at her delicate facial features and he lowered his head to meet with her pink lips. He felt like he was Hades coming to claim Persephone, a dark lord about to pluck the softest flower in the field.

"God help me," she whispered to him before passing out with a sigh.

…

A couple of hours passed before she woke up. She was still reeling off of that blasted moonshine. The blue dress caught her eyes. She felt gratitude towards the man that saved her and gave her something to wear. She looked over and noticed the man casually leaning against the wall, wondering how long he had been there.

"Put it on," the voice commanded. She looked at the man's imposing stance, noticing the muscles hidden beneath the cloak; his black hat covered one eye so that the other shown out with a golden luminosity.

Respecting her privacy, he went to look out the window. She put it on and he turned around just as she tied the drawstrings. It looked breath taking and he slowly walked to her, ignoring the bracelet that he tucked away in the vanity. Instinct told her to get away from him, but she was determined to hold her ground and let it play out how it was going to play out. Lucy stared at herself in the mirror and noticed the split up the side of her abdomen.

Looking at him with hooded eyes, her voice was even when she said, "I should punch you with my good knuckle."

"And break your hand on my solid jaw again? I thought you would have learned the first time."

Lucy sucked in her cheeks, giving off a more angled appearance. "Yes, I was foolish and now I have learned to use my foot." She stumbled into the chair as he stepped closer to her.

"Drink some more water." He came up behind her while she faced the mirror, resting one hand on her hip while the other hand traced the split up her side, sending shivers down her spine. His expression in the mirror looked hungry, smirking with a loaded look of desire; she began to feel light headed. Involuntarily tilting her neck, she leaned lightly against his tight chest and his smiling mouth lowered to the dip of her shoulder.

Her weakness to him was revealed in that moment. Those brooding eyes of his locked with hers and she began to feel like pudding left out in the sun. The smell of apprehension, indecision and awe came wafting up to him, almost making him shudder for the sheer attraction of it. He closed his eyes and broke the spell, but not for her; she was still entrenched.

She wanted to touch his tan skin and she wondered if it was alien-like. Her fingers tips lightly brushed the skin on his face. He flashed his teeth briefly and stared into her eyes; he was holding back momentarily. His skin was not hot, but it wasn't cold either. It wasn't leathery so she brushed her fingers along his jaw line; the stubble was attractive. He had had enough of teasing; putting his hand around the back of her head, at first he kissed her roughly and then it turned soft.

The flood gates opened and everything he had been holding back all his life was unleashed on her. She placed her hand on his shoulder as he devoured her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he looked away for a second. The reaction was instantaneous, she wasn't thinking clearly, but she grabbed the back of his neck to make him face her. She swayed, almost tipping herself off balance, as his breathing grew slightly heavier, his passionate face turned on her with exposed fangs and, before she could feel fear or protest, he started again.

The kiss made her lips tingle like electricity flowed through them, making her feel like her face was on fire. She moaned a little in his mouth, which only encouraged him until he thought he was going to throw her down and take her. He thought about her exposed nipples from the earlier drama and his hand began to roam up her stomach. A small voice in her head nagged at her to say no.

He was so much bigger than her that it took no time for him to overpower her. His tongue invaded her mouth hungrily as he moved his hand into the tear of her dress; he brushed the underside of her breast. She broke the kiss as soon as she felt his invasion, scuttling away from him like he had a third eye; the realization of what happened between them had not fully hit her yet.

"Don't be afraid. I am not going to hurt you." His eyes lit up in a predatory shimmer of lust; he took a step closer to her and she took one step away from him.

A frantic knock stopped him from going any further and, instead of going to her, he left; and it dawned on her how close she had been to the enemy. She chugged some more water, thinking about how crazy this day was, hoped that her soul could be saved, and how she was going to escape her fate with this man. Being locked away with him for any longer just might make her go insane and she had a feeling that would be soon. As quick as her interaction with the mysterious man was, she put it away in a locked drawer in her mind and growled at nothing. Looking for an escape, she wondered what it was that demanded the dark leader's attention. Why was he so fascinating all of a sudden? It had to be the alcohol; she would never touch it again after this experience.

_You have to love me for the moonshine I mean come on that stuff is wicked. _


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Priest or its characters only my OCs.

Rated: MA

Chapter 7: Conniving Clergy

_Back to school as usual. *sigh* Tests, tests and more tests. It is a miracle my computer turned on! So sorry for the endless waiting I know how it feels, I must be a slow typer ;)I do have a lot of ideas for this story so I can't stop the machine now! Lol. I think I scared away all my reviewers with adult content (no worries. mate). __ Thank you Mythstar Black Dragon ( my fav dragons are black __)_

Priest had not heard from his brother in quite a while and his thoughts kept returning to that fact every so often. It was not that they kept in touch, but there was always some kind of exchange or gift every once in a while. Priest was proud of his brother's love of inventing, gardening, and philosophy. He would have stopped by, not to visit but to look, if he hadn't been so busy. The decision to visit would be made after this unavoidable reunion with the church was made. Lines crossed Priests face as he neared the church. Lights flashed all around and a huge cross with a circle around it lit up the front of the tallest building in the city. Rats scurried around the wet streets and people were pressed against the side of the road buying various cloths and trinkets. His black cloak fluttered around him when he opened the huge door and started walking to the elevator. Armed guards surrounded him in the elevator, staring at him in disgust. To Priest the guards smelled just as rotten as the elevator he was in and he briefly pinched his nose and held his breath.

The smell made his memory flicker to the past of the clergy he tried time and time again to forget, but not withholding his promise of vengeance for the ones that were wronged. He believed in God so much so that it was to Him that his allegiance lay with. His vows were the solemn truth to him and he would do whatever to hold them up, that is all except for the killing. He never saw vampires as God's creatures so how could commandments possibly apply to him in that department. Those soulless vampires had no emotions (except for anger), no rules (except for the Queen), and no conscience (except to kill).

"Initiate confession sequence. Speak at the tone," a monotone voice sounded from a screen that scrolled through different bible verses.

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned," Priest dutifully spoke.

"Yes, my son?" Orelas appeared on the screen in his dark robes and hooded white hair.

"I had the dream again. I was at war."

"Tell me more."

"We were in the hives, like always. We fell..I wasn't strong enough." Priest bent his head and then looked back up.

"Tell me more," demanded Orelas.

"I have questions, doubts…I want to see my daughter."

"The devil comes in many shapes, the best way to combat it is through personal sacrifice and an honest day's labor," stated Orelas, choosing to ignore Priest's last statement.

"Yes, father"

"Now say three Hail Mary's and four Our Father's; and remember: to against the church is to go against God"

Priest stood up and exited the confession room. He did not want to clue Orelas in on his vengeance. It was worsened at the mention of Lucy, knowing that they would come after her soon. His mind was made up and he was going after the clergy. They never cared about him; he was insignificant who was never favored by God, according to them. He rode the elevator down to the bottom floor and saw a little boy with his mother.

"Did it hurt?" The boy asked shyly; he pointed to the big, red cross that his hood failed to hide.

Priest's blue eyes pierced the boy with all the worldly knowledge he held in them. The boy's dirt smeared face looked back at him in wonder as his mother drug him by an arm out of the elevator.

"We don't talk to Priests," she scolded before the doors closed, blocking his view from them. His next stop was the bar, where an old friend awaited.

….

The classroom was stuffy and two of Lucy's classmates looked at each other with as much enthusiasm as a stuffed porcupine. It had been a couple of weeks since Anita had seen her best friend. She felt like she was missing out on something monumental. Sitting in class, she listened to the teacher drone on and on. It would be a week before they could graduate and Anita did not want to listen to her any longer. She leaned over to whisper to Jerry, another one of Lucy's best friends.

"Damnit, she has not been here in at least a week," Anita said grouchily.

"Maybe it is time we visit her house," Jerry said looking around to see if anyone was listening.

All the classmates had wondered why Lucy disappeared and there were rumors that she had been abducted and maybe killed along with her family. There just wasn't any solid evidence and today rumors were going around about the Sheriff of Augustine missing.

"Do you think she got knocked off by vampires?" Jerry asked.

"Heh... If I know that bitch…she has probably been snatched by her undies and put out to dry." Anita couldn't help but snicker at her gutsy comment.

The whole class had heard this and turned, with mortified eyes, to gape at the two. One kid threw out a 'she deserved it' look. All of them visibly flinched as the teacher walked over and slapped Anita's and Jerry's knuckles with her pointer stick with enough force to make them blood red.

"Eyes forward and mouths closed."

Anita shook her hand and stuck her tongue out at everyone. Just like Lucy, she never liked playing by the rules either. She just wanted to smack the teacher for being an overbearing wench, so instead of actually doing it, she pretended to do it when her back was turned.

Looking at Jerry she said, "This sucks. Let's go find that girl. We are not going through anymore of this hell just to graduate without her. After all, she ripped off my homework assignment, stole my favorite romance novel, and you know what, on top of that, she stole my favorite lipstick." Jerry just rolled his eyes, like he was really interested in that. No, he was interested in Lucy. After all, she was the unattainable and so stupid for falling in love with Hicks. Jerry had nothing to offer her, he felt like nobody, and would always be nobody; he couldn't even get Anita's affection for crying out loud. Maybe this was the opportunity he had been waiting for now that, apparently, Hicks was out of the picture.

Both of them stood up, smirked at the idiotic students with their boring lives, and bolted out of the classroom door. They had been longing to do that ever since they had stepped foot on the linoleum tiled, overly churchitized school that smelled of old gym lockers.

They slammed the door so hard on the way out that their classmates jumped in their seats and the teacher scrambled to punch the red button on the wall. Anita and Jerry ran at top speed, away from the school grounds as fast as they could, knowing that they would be chased after in a heartbeat.

….

Orelas faced a number of Priests and one Priestess in a spacious, cold side chamber. The Priests formed a crescent moon, facing the Monsignors, heads down. They were alert and ready to carry out his orders. Looking down at them from his high chair, his black teeth flashed as he conveyed words of urgency to the Priests.

"Find the rogue Priest and bring him back to me dead or alive. He is a traitor that defies the church and filth like him should not be allowed to live."

Priestess briefly looked up in surprise. Orelas saw this and noted it with a hard stare.

"I want three of you to disband and find out what you can about Lucy. Bring her to me," Orelas paused, "Alive."

Three Priests branched off the main group and was gone in the blink of an eye. They already were on bikes heading towards Outpost 10 at max speed.

"Maggie" the voice was sharp. She looked around and found none of the other Priests beside her. Looking up at Orelas questioningly, he silenced her before she could say anything. His black teeth seemed to stretch in an endless, deadly smile, crinkling his pale white skin.

"Please stay my dear; we have quite an interest in you."

MUAHAHAHAHA I am really sorry this chapter is short guys. Don't kill me please. More real soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Yayaya I am tired of writing it.

Mature Adult Content: drugs, sex, and rock and roll mates

_Black Hat is just too brilliant. I do hope you all are enjoying BH/Lucy pairing. It has been fun trying to develop her character, which is fairly simple by the movie standard.*snickers*_

Chapter 8: Sapphires and Rubies

Black Hat followed his familiar out of the train; his gait was measured and smooth. Nostrils flaring, he looked around at a new town with fresh blood. His excited mind brought him full circle back to Lucy. He started thinking about earlier when he began to seduce her. What a glorious memory that was and he smiled to himself. He knew after that experience he could win her as a mate; the thought really was satisfying. Turning a Priest's daughter was the ultimate revenge. He hoped upon hope that Priest would join him and every time he thought about it, it made him angry. Priest may not accept his offer, but others will. If he can't have Priest, well then, he would have others. Lucy's doe eyes appeared in his imagination.

The familiar was noticing his elevated mood, but he knew he would be treading on quick sand if he asked Black Hat about it. He heard what happened to the other familiar that tried to take Lucy, and it did not involve a happy ending. Black Hat even made him scrub the bloody floor. The familiar tried to tell his friend it was a stupid idea, when he mentioned it, but everyone has a hard time staying away from a pretty girl. All of them wanted what Black Hat had. The familiar admired the strong man walking in front of him. The ex-Priest was an ultimate symbol for them and they looked up to him, happy that he turned out to be an incredible leader; ready to fulfill their wildest dreams.

After doing a quick scan of the town, Black Hat jumped back onto the train and his familiar followed him into one of the train's compartmental rooms. Black Hat spotted the man he wanted to see. He had disheveled blond hair, a ragged black coat, and top hat. He was facing away from the door at the familiars instructions; his name was Jack. Black Hat had originally hired this man as a spy, ensuring a sense of false security unbeknownst to Jack; Black Hat would change him forever once he was not needed.

As the shadow of Black Hat began to pass across the man to sit down, the man nearly jumped out of his skin. To Jack, Black Hat was a threat but he didn't know how much because he never really saw the man that much.

"Ahem you –um"

Black Hat put his left black boot up onto the table that separated them. It was a sign that objects were inferior to Black Hat and it made Jack want to scream and run; too late for that now.

"You told me to come if I had any information. Um, before I tell you, now I hate to bring this up-"

Black Hat's fingers squeezed the knob at the end of his arm rest. Drawing attention to his yellow claw- like finger nails, he then loosened his grip to lightly rub the knob with his fingertips. It was a sign of anxiety; not a good sign for Jack.

"There is a small little matter of compensation," Jack said in a hopeful voice and then continued while Black Hat finally lifted up his head for the first time to look at him. His yellowish-green eyes ghosted a smile at this insult.

"Now you've been really good with business. So I am more than willing to cut you a deal," his face crinkled with glee as he inquired further.

Black Hat stared into the man's ratty face with animal eyes and said, "I can smell the blood running through your veins. Smells like…dinner."

This terrified Jack so he decided to back down and try a new approach.

"Okay," he gulped, "Alright."

Black Hat lowered his eyes and thought about the lack of guts this man had. He deserved what was coming to him, as payment, of course.

"After you snatched the girl, I heard secrets about the clergy wanting her. They are going to tell the Priest she was kidnapped. People have started looking for her. "

"Priest?" Black Hat inquired.

"Yea, he is on the verge of finding out. I almost don't feel safe selling now. Sherriff tried to run me out of town a couple weeks ago. I –I can't seem to sell anything with him around."

This was all Black Hat needed to hear. He had done away with the Sherriff; there were bigger fish to fry now. Black Hat looked down and decided now was the time for Jack's dismissal.

"You've done well."

"Thank you," Jack's squeamish voice gave him away before he was about to make a run for the door.

Black Hat lunged out of the seat, across the table, and landed on Jack almost breaking his neck when he sunk his fangs in. He drained the poor fellow dry until his eyes turned blue, his hair fell out, and his skin turned white as a piece of paper. His changing body hit the floor when Black Hat was done with him.

"Now there's your compensation." Black Hat said stepping over the twitching body.

He faced his familiar on the way out and commanded, "Put him to work."

…..

Black Hat walked past Lucy's door. He knew she was tired of being in there and he was going to try to show her that he did not want to harm her; maybe he could insight passion by anger, like their first meeting. His expression lightened from his brooding one when he thought about how he could block any attack of hers. Turning around, he walked back to her door and stopped. He had a surprise for her, but he had to play his cards right. If he could get her to open up and be a good girl then he would give it to her. He thought about the bracelet still in the drawer of the vanity. He thought of the girl who gave it up, he would never forget her or what happened. The longing of companionship hit him to his core, being volatile was good for him but bad for anyone else. He could not stand rejection, but he knew it was impossible that she would be able to do that. It seemed to him after their last encounter that she really did not want to resist him, but had to for goodness sake. He wanted to break her of that; he would try to give her the bracelet first. Having just fed, he was less on edge, and so he decided now was a good time to go in.

Lucy found herself on the strange bed once again. Faint shreds of what happened between her and Black Hat hung on the fringes of her memory. She recalled the tear in her dress, the faint feeling of a man's fingertips exploring it, golden, lust filled eyes hypnotizing her. Jumping out of bed just in time to see the door open, she straightened her dress and tried to smooth her ruffled hair out. He entered the room slowly. His cloak barely rustled as his swagger carried him to the vanity.

"You must be starving; you haven't eaten in days," his silky voice floated to her as he ran a finger along the edge of the vanity, looking away from her.

"You act like you care about what happens to me. Go to hell," she bitterly replied.

This made Black Hat chuckle. "If you don't take what I have to offer then how am I going to keep you in one piece?" His remark made his eyes glitter.

His face turned stoic as he slowly met hers. She understood an underlying, small threat; she felt like crying again. He set some bread out on the vanity next to her water. Her newly wetted eyes looked at the bread. Damn him. She lost all control and lunged for the bread, missing the smirk on his face. He grabbed her just before she reached out to snatch the bread and take it across the room away from him.

"There is plenty more where that came from." Tearing off a piece, he put it in her mouth, giving her time to chew it before he started.

"You should know by now that I am not going to hurt you. If you want to go you can go." He opened his arms to show he wasn't going to stop her. She didn't budge because of her doubt and confusion. She didn't know if this was another threat or a trick. Seeing that she didn't move, he made sure he locked eyes with her for this.

"I have something for you," he said softly, bending slightly towards her.

"What is it that I have done to deserve gifts?" Her head wanted to start spinning from starvation and she eyed the bread.

"Deserve?" He smirked. This opened her up to a direct mind attack. "I will let you off of this train, no longer a prisoner. Consider it my apology for not being there to protect you." This last part was as sincere as it was going to get. He was not shy about running his darkened fingertips along her jaw line. She sucked her bottom lip in, making him lower his head to hers with a cocked grin. This was entrapment; she refused to give a thank you yet; maybe she should take advantage of it.

"You expect me to wear this...filthy...disgusting," looking down she sighed, "Get me another dress." He resisted the urge to rip it off of her. Sensing this, Lucy avoided his gaze and backed down.

Black Hat reached into the drawer with the bracelet hidden in it. Pulling it out he said, "This is what I have to offer you, and so much more," his tone was very suggestive and his molten, gold eyes lit up, reflecting the sapphire gemstones.

Lucy looked at his hand and it held a brilliant silver chain with embedded, sparkling sapphires. She would have fainted if she was not already given her ruby necklace. No woman has ever seen jewelry like this, and before she could object, Black Hat skillfully grabbed her wrist and locked it on. He started to close the proximity between them, backing Lucy up against the wall. His passion was getting ahead of him again and he leaned in, about to kiss her.

"I will get you another dress," he promised. "Tell me you like it."

"I swear, if you killed somebody for this-," she said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't." His face was solemn at her attempted threat. "I will show you I care. There are different paths you can choose in this life, Lucy. I can offer you the best one."

She stared at his tan skin and his white teeth, for the first time she understood why he was doing this. What if the voice was right and she should give him a chance? While Black Hat was making promises she saw a faint ghostly figure in the corner behind him. A younger being with dark hair, winked, and then vanished as suddenly as she came.

"Offer me the best one?" Lucy snorted "You killed my family!" She shrieked.

"No, I didn't." He was being half honest. He could see she was close to tears and the monster inside of him wanted to come out because she showed weakness several times now. As a Priest, he was trained to show none. He also didn't want to reveal his secret; he hoped she would accuse him.

"Vampires killed your family, Lucy, it was too late for me to save your mother," regret was starting to creep its way into his voice.

"Vampires," she scoffed and then looked him up and down. She knew of the vampires

"I am something different. Something more than you could ever imagine." Black Hat's authority rang in his deep voice; he made her look him in the eyes. "And you will join me." He looked at her pink lips and then back at her eyes. He could say no more after telling her his intentions.

"Give me back my family."

His voice rumbled with a growl, "And if I do this, you would still never change your mind about me."

Lucy thought this over quickly and gave in with a sigh. She would do anything for her family, she had nothing to lose. "I will." She thought this was a challenge, impossibility, but he seemed complacent, maybe even pleased because his dimples were showing.

Black Hat looked into Lucy's hopeful face. Smirking in triumph, he turned around to leave; wanting nothing more to do with this mess he was making. It turned out good, but it was still a mess; he was far from winning her over, but that was irrelevant.

"Don't leave," she said in a small voice. He didn't turn around. She didn't want to be alone even though she wasn't going to be alone when he left. She didn't want to meet with the ghosts in the room. The whispers were getting to her, drawing her to the dark side. She felt the tug on her heart and soul.

"Please."

He stopped. Her voice made his body ache and she shakily stepped closer to him. "If you care you won't leave me alone."

He never turned around to face her. "If I let you out you will be torn apart, piece by piece. You are in here for your own good. I thought you would have known," he said the last part quietly. He hated remembering what happened to her when he hadn't been there. He finally turned around to face her which was probably a mistake on his part. She had such a panicked look in her eyes that he thought she could possibly do better away from this room. The slight worry on his face shocked her, making her mouth fall open.

"I will come back for you tonight when they have fed."

"You mean when you have fed," her voice fierce.

Black Hat smirked, showing a bit of fang, with fire in his eyes and in a rough, deep voice he said, "I already did."

The conversation between them made her feel absolutely helpless. Not only did she seem unintimidating, stupid, and childish, but she was no closer to figuring out who this man was. The only gleam she had in his mind was that he wanted her to join him. What would it be like if she did? After all, she couldn't escape, so the only thing left to do was to find out who this man was and see where he would take her. He had been nice to her, she thought while she devoured the rest of the bread, what would be the harm in playing along?

Black Hat stepped out and closed the door behind him. Relief flowed through his muscles, relaxing him, thinking that it went much better than anticipated. She wasn't throwing punches or crying hysterically. A few days will break someone's will sooner or later and he had hoped she reached that point. He wasn't done with the surprises and he was growing impatient still. Manhood never afforded men much patience, and if he was going back to her tonight after his excursion, he would need to find a way to loosen her up. He had the perfect trick up his sleeve, making him Hades and her Persephone. It was indeed an interesting myth and he felt like he was living it. He wondered just how he was going to explain Hicks disappearance. Honesty was going to get him closer to her heart, so instead of conniving around it, he would tell her when he absolutely had to. He gritted his teeth in anxiety. The truth was Hicks killed his best familiars and thwarted some of his plans and would continue to do so if he hadn't stopped him. Black Hat balled his fist at the thought of Hick's killing, more like assassinating, his best mates. Hicks took power to a whole different level and told Lucy as little as he could get away with about his affairs. If he had to he would tell her what Hicks had done behind her back. After all, Hicks was a man, and a broken one at that- trying to deal with his father's murder at the hands of vampires was not easy for him.

Black Hat's situation was a little different; he was doing what nature commanded him to do, something out of his control. The Queen knew him and would be with him, because she was his maker but he needed something more; he was still part human. The Queen would be pleased as well for him to have a companion; two is better than one. He would leave Lucy with the Queen if he needed to; she would teach her the ways of the world, which Lucy lacked.

She was still clinging on to the hope of him, he could tell that much. Young love never worked; he has seen it fail many times with his friends. The best example was one Priest had set himself. He never saw the woman that Priest had loved, but he knew they had made a child. His offer to Lucy was a lot more binding than a Priest's vows because it would change her physically and emotionally forever. He hated Hicks before capturing Lucy; that stupid gun toting Sherriff. Black Hat set his jaw; it is a good thing Hicks is dead. _Good riddance._

…

Lucy watched the door close. Her mouth had been hanging open because he revealed the news that her family could be salvaged. A feeling of gratitude towards the man warmed her lonely soul; maybe he cared. It had been a minute before the darkness appeared and she knew it was overdue. Instead, a subtle light came in by the window and seemed to fill the room with peace. The peace clung to her skin like it was a blanket, almost warming its way into her body. The dark haired figure appeared hazy like the other one but with a little more substance; she was wearing a something that resembled a night gown.

"What are you?" Lucy asked calmly, trying to figure out why she could see apparitions when she couldn't before her kidnapping.

"I saw that man…before I died."

Lucy didn't know how to handle this, so she went with the most obvious question- "He killed you?"

"No," the voice sounded far away. "He walked away and then something else…" the spirit shuddered and looked at the bracelet. Confusion lit up her face with more light; she looked young to Lucy.

"Where did you get?" the spirit pointed to the bracelet with a transparent finger.

"A man captured me and gave it to me just now." Lucy felt despair. "I-I don't want it now."

"No! K-k-keep it. I think I must be trapped in it…somehow. I will stay with you as long as you wear it." The spirit looked thoughtful, but tired.

"Trapped? That is terrible." Lucy was horrified at the thought.

"I am oka-"

She doubled over as the look of pain crossed her chiseled features. The light started to fade as a darker, blue cloud moved in like a storm trying to engulf the sun; something was trying to snuff the light out.

The color drained from Lucy's face and she frog hopped away from the vanity, over the bed, against the wall and drew her knees to her chest. The set of sharp teeth was barely visible.

"Don't be scared, once again I say this, little one and I am getting tired of saying it"

"Give me your name." Lucy demanded.

"No," it growled.

Pointed nails raised her ruby necklace, so that Lucy saw it glow more than it normally did. Lucy's frail body stood up on its own accord and her feet dragged as the spirit pulled her closer in to the red hue it surrounded itself with. Lucy screamed once, out of shock, and a familiar that had been guarding the door heard it.

_Well if ya'll want revenge for this then you have got it. Writing a book ( I feel like it is) was a greater task then I thought ;)_


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: meow?

MA: it's that drugs, sex, and rock and roll again.

Chapter 9: Town Excursion

Maggie looked up at the cold, opposing figure of the clergy.

"We need the rogue Priest to come back to us. And if our men can't do it then you will do it."

"I don't understand. How could I bring him back here?"

Forty guards started to fill the cold ill lit chamber, surrounding Maggie.

"I don't understand Father, what have I done?"

"We have kept an eye on you my dear. We know you have an interest in him which is forbidden! You have broken your vows and now you will be punished."

He slammed a hammer down on the long desk in front of him, cueing the guards.

Orelas whispered to one of the clergy members. Upon Orelas command the member got up from the half circle and disappeared. Maggie felt panic, much like the panic she felt during the vampire war.

The guards with guns moved as a single unit, enclosing her in a tight circle. One took her arms from behind and put her in handcuffs. In rage, Maggie flung her head back and connected with the man's nose, poor sucker, his shield was up on his face mask. A crunch came from broken cartilage, and blood squirted into her black ponytailed hair. The man in front of her tried to rush her, but her leg flung out with precision and connected with the inner side of his knee, breaking it. She roared loudly at the clergy's betrayal. She saw Orelas stand up in his black throne. His skin glowed, it was pale as chalk; he looked like a demon in sheep's skin.

"Bitch!" a robust guard in front of her roared. The guard tried to punch her after his profane mouth sounded off, but she dodged it. Two guards flanking her drove the butt of their guns into the side of her head and she dropped to the floor stunned.

They dragged her off underground to a cell and forcefully threw her in; she did not have fans after broken bones. She looked to the ceiling of the cell after several minutes of laying there on the floor. She silently prayed, the pain blotted out the light in her and she closed her eyes. Still handcuffed, she prayed hard until she was exhausted and then closed her eyes.

…..

The familiar found Black Hat leaning on the train station wall watching the town. He let one of his minions drag the clerk at the station off to have for himself. He had ordered his vampires to rid the bodies once they were done murdering the town. He also ordered them to not leave the town looking shattered, even though he wanted to see it burn badly. He had a stronger desire to see Lucy relax. He wanted it to look as good as it could after a town was decimated, because he was going to take Lucy out to get some fresh air. He would have preferred to take her out while the town was alive, but his vampires were getting restless, making the train rock slowly from side to side. Black Hat didn't want to chance seeing her cry after she realized the town was about to be destroyed. A warm feeling he hadn't felt in a while almost touched his heart but died before it could get there.

His heart beat was so slow that no doctor would be able to notice it. It was a sign of power not only as a human, but a weakness, ultimately he was still killable just like any creature was.

Her plea to get him to stay worried him, after all he put her through, you would think she would try to kill him every chance she got. It seemed her first punch was all the fight he would get; that almost disappointed him. Lucy's plea sounded so fragile that it startled him, though he didn't want her to see it so he didn't turn around. A hint of suspicion loomed in his mind of his familiars, but he knew if they did something she would tell him.

"I heard Lucy scream. It sounded like somebody was dragging her around."

Black Hat flew past the familiar, almost pushing him off the platform in his haste. Vampires howled and the town stirred. The screeching started as the doors flung open, drool swinging through the humid air; their tongues and teeth clicked in strange dialect. Explosions ran through the town like wildfire and a blaze of X's formed on a bridge like structure between buildings; the humans were no match

Black Hat opened the door to find Lucy passed out on the floor. Her ruby necklace had a faint glow around it; two scratches marked her delicate flesh where the gem lay, like she tried to claw it off. He propped her up into a sitting position and tried moving her eyelids up.

"Lucy, wake up," he begged.

"Stop," she tried to shout but it came out a whisper. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around.

"I need to get you something more to eat. Would you like that?"

"I saw you surrounded by vampires…screaming."

Black Hat inhaled deeply, and avoided her statement. He was almost relieved someone else knew what he had gone through, but he wondered what brought her there. He got her to stand up on shaky legs which helped to revive her. Putting her head between his hands he tried to get her to look at him.

"What happened? Tell me," he commanded.

"I don't know...I was being dragged across the floor," her voice was hazy.

Black Hat's dark eyebrows furrowed against his tanned skin.

Lucy had a vision of her being pulled by the spirit onto her feet and towards the vanity, towards _it_. She tried to rip her necklace off but it stopped her. The spirit did not hurt her, but welcomed her like she was a daughter, a weird feeling that made her stomach tingle, and inevitably changed her.

She moved her feet a little bit and the world stopped tilting. She must have hit her head on the way down. Black Hat gave her the jug of water and Lucy drank some of it.

"Come with me." He pulled her softly out by the elbow and checked once more just to make sure she was coherent enough to at least listen to him.

"You're sure you're okay? I wouldn't want to cancel our night." A devilish glint held his eyes and his open mouth showcased fangs.

Lucy nodded, staring at his deep dimples and lush lips stretching over white fangs. The experience was far from normal; she felt different but now was not the time to think about it. She was being led to fresh air, out of the train compartment. She came alive as she saw the stars in the night sky. Her ordeal soon forgotten, it felt like she was a bird set free after being in a cage for years. The air rustled her red hair and she closed her eyes. Walking in front of Black Hat, she twirled in circles with her arms extended, a graceful smile on her face.

It made him happy to see her like that and he knew tonight was going to be an interesting night; him caging her paid off. She stopped twirling and looked back at him, expectant. He neared her with a smirk and together they walked towards the town.

Right at the town's edge Lucy stopped and looked at the smoke coming from the fire. She looked at Black Hat with uncertainty in her eyes and a small fear that she may get injured.

Earlier, before he commanded the vampires to clean out the bodies, he told his familiars to lounge in the town but far away from where Lucy may decide to go. He wanted to give Lucy less of the death sense that falls on a town after it has been slaughtered. Originally he wanted to take her out before the town was murdered, but he couldn't hold back his vampires for long and he did not want Lucy to witness it yet.

"Lucy, I have something for you that may help you enjoy this more fully," mischief laced his rugged voice as dimples formed on his dark cheek.

"What is it?" Lucy ventured.

Black Hat reached into his dark cloak and delicately pulled out a beautiful light blue flower.

"It is called belladonna, sweet, beautiful…and wild." He skipped the word 'deadly' and paused to let it set in, "It won't harm you of course, but you will never forget the smell." It was her cue to smell it.

"You are trying to poison me, aren't you?" suspicion lighted her green eyes.

He laughed out loud at this one, "No, I am not trying to poison you. If I wanted to I would have done it," he frowned.

"The flower is meaningless, in that way; I thought it reflected your beauty well."

His eyes would have betrayed him if he had not lifted the flower to her nose, distracting her attention away from his jubilant face; he would not let her hold it.

She looked at the light blue flower with almost transparent, veined petals carefully and then decided for herself that it must be harmless, especially if she wasn't the one holding it.

He moved his gloved palm towards her pale skin and brushed her jaw with his fingertips while lifting the flower to her nose. She inhaled delicately at first. The smell was like a mixture of candy, aqua, and white musk. A shimmery substance made of blue, red, and purple hues floated from the core of the flower and into her nose.

It was clear to her now that the haze was the same haze that the dark spirit operated in, just like the color of her ruby necklace was connected with the spirit. Just like how the dark haired woman was connected with sapphire bracelet, she assumed. She pulled away abruptly and she suddenly did not care that the jewelry was haunted; she wore that ruby necklace for so long it was now a part of her. She dreaded the nakedness she would feel if she took it off.

It didn't matter that the monster appeared to her in this precarious time after the kidnapping, what mattered was why the stranger gave it to her. Lucy could not remember for the life of her who gave it to her and her mother would not talk about it. Whispers told her it was her father, but there was no proof.

She was not angry about wearing the bracelet because it was of pure light, and it would be her only reminder of innocence.

The clarity did not last, and the world tilted upside down; she saw his lithe body tense and he caught her before she crashed her head on the sandy ground. The feeling that she just ate desert coated her straight teeth, filling her cheeks, and her body felt like she was swimming through peaceful waters. Elation engulfed her heart, mind, soul, and when she lifted her head up she saw Black Hat's concerned face. One black eyebrow raised and he straightened her up; his dimples seemed deeper than before.

"Whatever that was I want more," she said in a giggling fit. Lucy thought she would never feel this way again.

"I told you something magical was going to happen."

The memory of them at the vanity, the night he saved her, formed in her mind. How his pouty lips had sought out hers; instinctively she looked at his curved mouth.

"Not now," he said with a smirk. "Later."

He steadily walked her into the town and towards a bar so that she could sit down. Lucy saw shabby people walking around messing with motorcycles.

"You didn't kill them?"

This question made Black Hat stop to face her. He brushed a strand of red hair from her flushed cheeks.

"They are my familiars. Command them, if you like."

She looked up at his handsome face with some surprise and he showed off his flashy white fangs.

Lucy felt like she was seeing things for the first time and wondered if this is how Black Hat felt when he changed. She looked at the man who had her hooked by the arm. His shadow fell on her like a protective shroud. The black stubble that crept up to his defined cheeks begged for her to reach out and touch it.

_This is what you could see for a long time if you joined him._ A voice was whispering to her in her mind and in her mind's eye she saw the shrouded creature that had accosted her earlier. She did not mind the intrusion and the spirit took her into the future.

_She saw herself with Black Hat and she wore her ruby necklace like always. She glowed with a healthy vibrancy, looking more alive than she had ever been. Even the familiar's looked alive and interesting, an important piece to a puzzle. Others were with them, red crosses on their foreheads as well. She saw his dimples and white teeth, utterly attractive to her now. Then someone with a familiar face looked at her from far away._

_Then she was brought to what must have been one of the most tortured memories this man possessed. She recognized his stature and dark hair as well as his pouty lips which clenched tightly together. He was lying on a stone table with hundreds of vampires feasting on his bloodied flesh from head to toe. Their bloody mouths growled and clicked at each other, trying to establish dominance. Though he mostly screamed, he also cussed, and then he began praying fervently between screams. Begging God to save him or to hurry up and end his life, blood splashed across his red crossed forehead, burying it in chunks of skin. She died a little inside when he started crying. Suddenly, the vampires fled him like they were on fire and it seemed that God had finally answered his anguish. A larger figure, a cross between a vampire and a bat, swaggered her way to him; her large claws clicked on the ground. She got the feeling that the strange creature was attracted to him, wanted him like a son. Her black orbed eyes and horned head stared into his eyes and whatever she saw there, the deal was done. She lifted up her jagged talon to slice open her wrist. Dark blood oozed out and the man expressed shock at how God answered him, but nevertheless he accepted this angel of mercy. His mouth trembled as the blood touched his lips and then gushed into his gaping mouth. His eyes were wide as the change ruptured inside of him. He shook his head back and forth as his eyes changed, first a black, then a golden brown. One last cry as his anatomy and physiology were complete and he sat up swiftly. Turning to the glorious Queen he reached out, making her back up with a growl. He got off the table just to fall hard on his knees and bow before her. He looked up at her as she got closer to him, satisfied, she allowed him to touch her. He smiled with hungry looking fangs as he touched her nose. She was pleased with what she had made so she threw her head back; opening her wings, she screamed at the other vampires to bow before her King. _

Back to reality as Black Hat helped her up the steps so she wouldn't trip. He opened the door and beckoned her in. Most of the furniture was intact as well as bottles that lined the bar.

Lucy was not hungry after smelling the unique flower and did not accept the food he tried to offer her. Black Hat slid his arm around her waist when they sat down next to a window. She almost let out a moan as she felt his strong hand grab her hip. He glanced down at the tear in the dress exposing flawless skin and he licked his lips. She reached towards his fangs and he almost let her touch them.

"If you want to touch my fangs you have to take a shot," his voice lowered in her ear.

"WHAT? Not after what happened to me."

"It will be different this time," he assured her.

"Why, because it is you who can rape me instead of one of them," frustration graced her eyes.

"If I wanted to, I could have taken you," he lightly gritted his teeth.

Lucy started to get a high off of his mysteriousness and she did not want to ask him about himself yet.

Black Hat got up and went to one of the many bottles at the bar. He picked up one with an amber color that immediately peeked Lucy's interest. He took out a shot glass and poured it in with another infamous smirk; his eyes glowed yellow and green below the rim of his hat.

He sat back down next to her and peered into her eyes.

"Drink this and I will get you a better dress."

"You are wheelin' and dealin' with me? I don't think so. The next dress will cover my neck," she said stubbornly.

"Ah…like that will stop me from getting to your neck. You will have to come up with something better, Lucy." Her name rolled of his tongue like a whisper.

Just to prove his point he took the tear of the dress and ripped harshly, exposing more of her toned stomach.

His eyes were amused and he could not resist bringing his mouth to her parted one before she could react. He broke off the kiss before it could turn passionate, and he noticed a blush enveloping her body. He loved the effect he had on her. It showed he had complete control which made him smug.

"Take it."

She sighed, cutting her eyes to him briefly, and then daintily put the shot up to her lips. She wanted to see where this would go now that he freed her; all caution was thrown to the wind.

"Wait; put it all in your mouth. Do not sip it…or you will regret it."

She threw it back impulsively. A mixture of spices, syrup and alcohol crashed on her tongue. Gulping it down, the burn lasted for a second in the back of her throat.

He watched her reddish brown eyebrows furrow and her mouth pucker. He could not take his eyes off of her neck, the pulse, ostentatious. Her daring move proved she could be an excellent consort, she didn't know her own potential and it bothered him; he could have had her sooner if she did. A stronger, aggressive girl makes a faster mate. He had come this far with her; he knew now the time was coming when she would be his regardless of whether or not he tampered with her reality, like he was doing to her now.

Her quickly throwing back the shot deserved more than a dress. A low rumble started in his stomach and bubbled up to his chest. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the bench.

"Wh-" she gasped.

Black Hat put his long fingers on her hips and pulled her up to sit her on the table ledge. His left hand pushed her chest down and a wicked look crossed his face. She started trying to wiggle away on the table.

"Stay still," he said in a guttural voice, giving her a sharp look that stilled her, making him smirk.

"Wait- I don't even know your name." The ridiculous timing made her giggle, but if the man was going to try to succeed in seducing her, then she better ask sooner than later.

"Heath," rolled off his tongue, relieved that she finally wanted to know. He was wondering why pleasure fleeted across her delicate, pink cheeks.

The name sounded that much sexier when she repeated it in her head while looking at his shimmering, still rugged face half covered by the hat.

He lifted her dress up to her lower stomach and looked briefly at her white skin. He ran his right hand from the back of her right thigh to the back of her knee, slightly spreading her legs in doing so. Placing four kisses on her small calf up to her rounded knee; he then licked halfway up her thigh.

She looked into his naughty expression under the rim of his hat, driving her to pant harder; he seemed thrilled at what he was doing to her.

"I could do this all night." He was trying to control his actions. He waited a long time to be with a woman.

"Uhhh," she moaned. Squeaking quietly, shivers racked her body at the unexpected assault of his fangs as well as the stubble caressing and scraping still higher on her smooth thigh. She balled the black fabric on his shoulders into her fists and then released it.

His hot breath came out thick on her sensitive skin, making her back arch high in the air. He pushed her legs open wider, brushing his finger tips slowly in anticipation along her wetted cloth covering her entrance; preparing to move it aside when he briefly looked out of the window.

Black Hat saw three figures that were not of his familiar's stature. Red crosses bluntly stood out screaming Priests. He quickly scanned to see if his minions were around but came up empty.

"Damnit," he swallowed the word in a growl.

He grabbed Lucy's heated face in his hands and tried to get her to focus on him. "Stay here no matter what happens. I will come back for you."

The genuine concern made her see his face in a new light even if his fangs looked painful to her human eyes. Losing herself in his golden orbs all the time, she decided she would not fight anymore. Hicks treated her similar to how Black Hat did, but she knew Black Hat could take it to another level. He would never tell her not to do something, the spirit creature was right: Hicks was not coming for her. She closed her eyes in defeat and felt herself give in to her visions of Heath. Something inside of her simmered and curled in happiness like a spider over a victimized fly in the web. She got up to pull her dress back down and peered out of the window.

She saw him walk with purpose out to meet the hooded figures, their leader in front. Lucy ran to the door of the bar and quietly stepped outside. She felt something knot in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't for Black Hat.

_Hey guys, more will be coming within the next week. I am excited to write the upcoming chapters._


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